O’Neil wears Summit King of America XI crown

HUMBOLDT, Kan. (March 26)—Jake O’Neil returned the USMTS winner’s circle Saturday as he added the Summit King of America XI presented by RacinDirt crown to his trophy case in Tucson, Ariz., with a decisive victory at the Humboldt Speedway.

Featuring USMTS Modifieds and Medieval USRA Stock Cars plus the 7th Annual B-Mod Battle at The Bullring, fans witnessed an action-packed program provided by the nation’s top talent in their respective divisions.

Dustin Sorensen, who won the USMTS season opener three weeks ago at the Rocket Raceway Park in Petty, Texas, led the opening lap Saturday night with Dereck Ramirez giving chase, but by lap 15 O’Neil passed Ramirez for second after advancing from his fifth row starting spot.

Ten laps later, O’Neil snuck by Sorensen on the outside and the pair proceeded to battle door-to-door for the next 15 laps as lapped traffic kept the lead duo on their toes.

A caution on the 43rd lap of 60 bunched the field. O’Neil drove away on the ensuing restart and again following two more yellow flags in the final 10 laps to net a $15,000 paycheck and a new carbon fiber driveshaft from Fast Shafts.

The Kansas contingent in attendance were cheering on Darron Fuqua the last 10 laps as he put pressure on O’Neil by keeping the outside wall cleaned off with his right-side spoiler, but despite his best efforts he settled for second place.

Sorensen held on for third to regain the points lead over Jason Hughes, who came from 15th to grab fifth behind defending USMTS National Champion Dereck Ramirez.

Zack VanderBeek—now a new daddy and around 80 pounds lighter than one year ago—held off Jake Timm for sixth. Ethan Dotson earned an eighth-place paycheck, Tanner Mullens nabbed ninth and Oregon traveler Tom Berry Jr. rounded out the top 10.

Saturday night’s win was the 21st career USMTS win for O’Neil and made him the fourth different winner in four events in 2022. He’s also the 10th different winner in 11 editions of the King of America race. Ryan Gustin remains the only two-time winner.

The 20-lap Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main saw Clear Lake, Iowa’s Chanse Hollatz take the win over a strong field of Medieval USRA Stock Cars.

Colorado’s Angel Munoz was second, Derek Brown claimed the third spot, fourth went to Derrick Agee and 12th-starting Rodney Schweizer completed the top five.

One of the most dominant efforts happened in the finale of the 7th Annual B-Mod Battle at The Bullring as polesitter Lucas Rodin of Marion, N.D., led wire to wire in the 50-lap G-Style Transport “A” Main.

Former USMTS regular Travis Saurer held off former USRA B-Mod National Champion Andy Bryant for runner-up honors with Kyle Slader and Shadren Turner finishing fourth and fifth.

Krew Walburn, 23rd-starting Kris Jackson, Jake Smith, Ryan Gillmore and defending race winner J.C. Morton crossed the finish line in sixth through tenth, respectively.

No fooling, Spring Meltdown set for April 1: On Friday and Saturday, April 1-2, the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt journeys to the historic half-mile oval at the Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa, for the 16th Annual USMTS Spring Meltdown.

In addition to the USMTS Modifieds, the two-day program will also feature the Medieval USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods, USRA Hobby Stocks and USRA Tuners battling for Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series national points and padded prize money on the line.

The Hamilton County Speedway is located off US 20 at exit 140, then 1.2 miles north, then 0.5 mile east on Bank St., then 0.4 mile south on Bluff St. to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds at 1200 Bluff St, Webster City, IA 50595.

For more information, call (515) 832-6000 or check out HamiltonCoSpeedway.com.

If you can’t be there in person, watch every lap of every race live online on your favorite device at RacinDirt.TV.

Visit usmts.com for schedules, points, photos, souvenirs, videos and more. Follow our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Click here to get USMTS news delivered to your inbox.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series – Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
United States Racing Association – Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
Summit King of America XI presented by RacinDirt and B-Mod Battle at The Bullring presented by G-Style Transport – Night 3 of 3
Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Saturday, March 26, 2022


Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown.

USMTS MODIFIEDS

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (1) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
3. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
4. (5) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
5. (7) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
6. (12) 29D Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa
7. (8) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
8. (3) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas
9. (10) 75M Gunner Martin, Independence, Mo.
10. (6) 89 A.J. Diemel, Elk Mound, Wis.
11. (9) 55 Chris Kratzer, Wichita, Kan.
12. (11) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.

Fast Shafts Heat Race #2 (8 laps):
1. (3) 00S Chris Spalding, Montgomery City, Mo.
2. (2) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (5) 11X Tom Berry Jr., Medford, Ore.
4. (7) 174 Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.
5. (6) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
6. (9) 73 Andy Jones, Princeton, Minn.
7. (1) 96M Mike McKinney, Plainfield, Ill.
8. (10) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
9. (11) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
10. (8) 5* John Briggs, Sparta, Mo.
11. (4) 15WX Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
12. (12) 51T Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D.

Edelbrock Heat Race #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
2. (3) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
3. (5) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
4. (10) 25C Cody Thompson, Sioux City, Iowa
5. (6) 17 Jon Plowman, Woodbine, Iowa
6. (1) 127 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
7. (4) 90 Ryan Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
8. (11) 1J Matt Jeratowski, Madison, S.D.
9. (7) 22 Jeff Spacek, Phillips, Wis.
10. (8) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
11. (9) 53JT Justin Thornton, Chandler, Ark.

MSD Performance Heat Race #4 (8 laps):
1. (2) 38T Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif.
2. (6) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
3. (3) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
4. (5) 90X Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
5. (4) 2X Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn.
6. (7) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
7. (8) 44S Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif.
8. (9) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
9. (10) 16B Randy Brown, Chowchilla, Calif.
10. (11) 47 Joshua Harney, Prairie Grove, Ark.
11. (1) 7D Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.

VP Racing Fuels Heat Race #5 (8 laps):
1. (2) A Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev.
2. (3) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
3. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (1) 26G Ryan Gierke, Villard, Minn.
5. (5) 22H Dustin Hodges, Centralia, Mo.
6. (8) 22S Cole Spacek, Phillips, Wis.
7. (7) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
8. (6) 65D Dustin Brown, Clear Lake, Iowa
9. (9) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
10. (11) 369 Bart Taylor, Sheridan, Wyo.
11. (10) 22B Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.

Wrisco Heat Race #6 (8 laps):
1. (1) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
2. (3) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ark.
3. (4) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (2) 8 Dillon McCowan, Urbana, Mo.
5. (6) 1TPO Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D.
6. (7) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
7. (5) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
8. (8) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
9. (9) 246 Jade Luzenberg, Saucier, Miss.
10. (10) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
11. (11) 38C Jason Pursley, Hermitage, Mo.
12. (12) R63 Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D.

Real Racing Wheels “B” Main #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (3) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
3. (8) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
4. (1) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
5. (12) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
6. (6) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
7. (4) 90X Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
8. (11) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
9. (10) 96M Mike McKinney, Plainfield, Ill.
10. (7) 73 Andy Jones, Princeton, Minn.
11. (14) 22 Jeff Spacek, Phillips, Wis.
12. (9) 90 Ryan Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
13. (19) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
14. (16) 5* John Briggs, Sparta, Mo.
15. (15) 47 Joshua Harney, Prairie Grove, Ark.
16. (5) 26G Ryan Gierke, Villard, Minn.
17. (13) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
18. (18) 53JT Justin Thornton, Chandler, Ark.
19. (17) 15WX Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.

Real Racing Wheels “B” Main #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 11X Tom Berry Jr., Medford, Ore.
2. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
3. (3) 174 Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.
4. (9) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
5. (5) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
6. (11) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
7. (7) 22H Dustin Hodges, Centralia, Mo.
8. (8) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
9. (12) 65D Dustin Brown, Clear Lake, Iowa
10. (13) 75M Gunner Martin, Independence, Mo.
11. (14) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
12. (10) 1J Matt Jeratowski, Madison, S.D.
13. (4) 29D Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa
14. (16) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
15. (15) 369 Bart Taylor, Sheridan, Wyo.
16. (19) 51T Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D.
17. (6) 17 Jon Plowman, Woodbine, Iowa
18. (18) 22B Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
19. (17) 7D Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.

Real Racing Wheels “B” Main #3 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (6) 1TPO Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D.
3. (3) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (10) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
5. (4) 8 Dillon McCowan, Urbana, Mo.
6. (5) 2X Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn.
7. (7) 22S Cole Spacek, Phillips, Wis.
8. (9) 44S Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif.
9. (13) 16B Randy Brown, Chowchilla, Calif.
10. (14) 246 Jade Luzenberg, Saucier, Miss.
11. (17) 55 Chris Kratzer, Wichita, Kan.
12. (15) 89 A.J. Diemel, Elk Mound, Wis.
13. (2) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
14. (8) 127 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
15. (16) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
16. (11) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas
17. (18) 38C Jason Pursley, Hermitage, Mo.
18. (19) R63 Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D.
19. (12) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa

Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main (60 laps):
1. (10) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ark.
2. (16) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
3. (2) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
4. (5) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (15) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
6. (8) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
7. (6) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
8. (20) 174 Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.
9. (19) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
10. (14) 11X Tom Berry Jr., Medford, Ore.
11. (9) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
12. (27) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
13. (7) 00S Chris Spalding, Montgomery City, Mo.
14. (4) A Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev.
15. (21) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
16. (17) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
17. (29) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
18. (23) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
19. (12) 25C Cody Thompson, Sioux City, Iowa
20. (26) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
21. (11) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
22. (28) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
23. (18) 1TPO Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D.
24. (25) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
25. (13) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
26. (24) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
27. (22) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
28. (1) 38T Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif.
DQ – (3) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.

Lap Leaders: Sorensen 1-24, O’Neill 25-60.
Total Laps Led: O’Neil 36, Sorensen 24.
Margin of Victory: 1.14 seconds.
Time of Race: 39 minutes, 12.445 seconds (5 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Davis, Givens.
Emergency Provisionals: Ebert, Clark, Myers.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Fuqua (started 16th, finished 2nd).
Entries: 72.
Next Race: Friday-Saturday, April 1-2, Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, Iowa.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: .
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: .
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: .
Compstar/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: .

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Thornton.
Beyea Custom Headers – Ramirez.
BigDeal Car Care – O’Neil, Fuqua.
Bryke Racing – Schott.
BSB Manufacturing – Bleess.
Champ Pans – Hughes.
Deatherage Opticians – Hibdon.
Edelbrock – VanderBeek.
Fast Shafts – Spalding, O’Neil.
FK Rod Ends – Fuqua.
Hooker Harness – Ebert.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Thompson.
Keyser Manufacturing – Berry.
KS Engineering – Good.
KSE Racing Products – Mullens.
Mel Hambelton Ford Racing – Fuqua.
Midwest Wrap Co. – Clark.
Penske Racing Shocks – Spalding.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Schott.
Performance Bodies- Myers.
QA1 – Horner.
RacerWebsite.com – Thomas.
Simpson Performance Products – Ramirez.
Summit Racing Equipment – DeVolder, Good, Horner, Thornton.
Super Clean – O’Neil.
Swift Springs – Sanders, O’Neil, Fuqua.
Sybesma Graphics – Thornton.
Tire Demon – Williamson.
VP Racing Fuels – O’Neil.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – P. Phillips.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – McCowan.

Westover’s first USMTS win comes in Summit King of America XI prelim

For the first time this week, sunny skies and warm, spring-like weather greeted drivers and fans at Summit King of America XI presented by RacinDirt and the 7th Annual B-Mod Battle at The Bullring on Saturday afternoon at the Humboldt Speedway.

After a tense battle with Dereck Ramirez early in the race, polesitter Kale Westover of Altus, Okla., won going away in the 35-lap USMTS Modified main event—his first with the USMTS.

The win was worth $5,000 to Westover while Ramirez settled for the runner-up paycheck. Tyler Peterson mixed it up with the defending USMTS National Champion but settled for third at the finish line with 18th-starting Dustin Sorensen fourth and 15th-starting Tyler Wolff in fifth.

Tyler Davis wound up sixth—good enough to take the temporary points lead before the evening show got started. Seventh through tenth, respectively, went to Tanner Mullens, Jayson Good, Jake O'Neil and new father Zack VanderBeek.

Beau Davis of Cheney, Kan., nipped North Dakota’s Aaron Olson at the checkered flag to win the Medieval USRA Stock Car main event and the $1,000 winner’s share of the prize money.

Derrick Agee, Angel Munoz and Dominic Thyfault rounded out the top five while sixth through tenth went to Derek Brown, Austin Brands, Zeb Keepper, Tim Brown and Scott Johnson.

To kick things off Saturday afternoon, B-Mods opened the show with their third set of heat races and the checkered flag waved in those eight contests for Brennan Gave, Luke Phillips, Lucas Rodin, Gabe Hodges, Terry Schultz, Mike Striegel, Jake Smith and Krew Walburn.

Each B-Mod competitor will have his or her worst finish of the three heat races thrown out, and the accumulated points set the lineups for Saturday night’s “alphabet soup” of main events.

King of America, Bullring and Stock Car champs to be crowned Saturday night: As part of today’s doubleheader, the finale for Summit King of America XI and the Battle at The Bullring at the Humboldt Speedway gets the green flag Saturday evening.

USMTS Modifieds will compete for $15,000 and a new carbon fiber driveshaft from Fast Shafts. Medieval USRA Stock Cars are racing for $1,500 to win and a fat $10,000 check awaits the B-Mod main event winner.

If you can’t be there in person, watch every lap of every race live online on your favorite device at RacinDirt.TV.

The Humboldt Speedway is located 0.1 mile west of US 169 at the Humboldt Exit, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east on Georgia Rd. (1663 Georgia Rd, Humboldt, KS 66748). For more information, visit HumboldtSpeedway.com.

Visit usmts.com for schedules, points, photos, souvenirs, videos and more. Follow our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Click here to get USMTS news delivered to your inbox.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series – Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
United States Racing Association – Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
Summit King of America XI presented by RacinDirt and B-Mod Battle at The Bullring presented by G-Style Transport – Night 2 of 2
Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Saturday, March 26, 2022


Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown.

USMTS MODIFIEDS

Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main (35 laps):
1. (1) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
2. (3) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (7) 1TPO Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D.
4. (18) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
5. (15) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
6. (8) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
7. (14) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
8. (6) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
9. (21) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
10. (11) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
11. (9) 58 A.J. Diemel, Elk Mound, Wis.
12. (19) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
13. (24) 44S Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif.
14. (26) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
15. (25) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
16. (5) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
17. (4) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
18. (17) 00S Chris Spalding, Montgomery City, Mo.
19. (13) 38C Jason Pursley, Hermitage, Mo.
20. (16) 75M Gunner Martin, Independence, Mo.
21. (22) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
22. (20) 246 Jade Luzenberg, Saucier, Miss.
23. (12) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
24. (2) 127 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
25. (27) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
26. (10) 90X Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
27. (23) 29D Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa

Lap Leaders: Westover 1-3, Ramirez 4, Westover 5, Ramirez 6-7, Westover 8-35.
Total Laps Led: Westover 32, Ramirez 3.
Margin of Victory: 2.339 seconds.
Time of Race: 24 minutes, 1 second (5 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Sanders, Phillips.
Emergency Provisional: Schott.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Sorensen (started 18th, finished 4th).
Entries: 72.
Next Race: Saturday (evening), March 26, Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: Davis, Sorensen, Hughes, Westover, Mullens, Sanders, T. Phillips, Wolff, Good, Ahumada.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Westover, DeVolder, Thornton, Horner, Brown.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes, MBCustoms, BillsBuilt, WesternFlyer, Mullens.
Compstar/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Hatfield, Mullins, Action, Mullens, Durham.

Contingency Awards:
Beyea Custom Headers – Sorensen.
BigDeal Car Care – Westover, Wolff.
Bryke Racing – Sanders.
BSB Manufacturing – Mari.
Champ Pans – Wolff.
Deatherage Opticians – T. Phillips.
FK Rod Ends – Sorensen.
Hooker Harness – Hughes.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Pursley.
Keyser Manufacturing – VanderBeek.
KS Engineering – Diemel.
KSE Racing Products – O’Neil.
Mel Hambelton Ford Racing – Ramirez.
Midwest Wrap Co. – Luzenberg.
Penske Racing Shocks – DeVolder.
QA1 – Fuqua.
Super Clean – Westover.
Swift Springs – Westover, Davis.
VP Racing Fuels – Westover.